CASA are community volunteers who are matched with children placed in foster homes through the program. As the child moves through the foster care system hoping to find a permanent place of residence through reunification or adoption, CASA supports them both in and out of court.

All CASAs produce a report for the judge’s consideration that can provide further insight into the situation.

“CASA volunteers are just ordinary community members who have a heart for the children and a heart for the children in the system,” explained CASA Recruitment and Training Coordinator Natalie Bryant.

CASA works with attorneys and Department of Child Services (DCS) caseworkers to defend matched children and prepare reports for consideration by judges in the children’s cases.

“If a case is covered by CASA, the judge not only receives the court report from DCS, but also from CASA. CASA usually has only one or a few children. So you can spend so much time with that one child, but with DCS, their caseload is overwhelming,” said CASA Coordinator and Handler Nicole Snow. Franklin is one of two new court dogs to join the Coconino County Juvenile Court.

She has worked as a child and family therapist, and in that capacity she often served especially young people in foster care. In general, she said, just having one caring adult in a child’s life can make a big difference.

Snow said children often end up in foster care and lose the traditional adult support system. They often change schools, lose contact with teachers and coaches, and become estranged from their families.

“CASA is looking to create that kind of support for them,” Snow said. “I think kids sometimes associate it with the fact that they’re not getting paid to be with them. It’s purely from their heart. They’re volunteering. They feel it.” I have seen the most beautiful relationships forged between CASA and the young people they work with.”

Currently, 52 children based in Coconino County are being assisted by CASA volunteers. The organization needs an additional 104 volunteers in the area to meet the needs of all children in the system.

“What we need is someone with an advocate heart who will walk with these kids no matter what,” Bryant said.

In between jobs, Bryant had time to dedicate himself to volunteer work when he was invited to consider a job with CASA. After 30 hours of training, a polygraph and a background check, he was given his first assignment in December.

“I love kids, I love connecting with people, and I love the opportunity to be a safe harbor in a really dangerous world. “I’m going through one of the toughest times, and just being a safe person, having a safe harbor in the middle of a storm really means a lot to me,” Bryant said.

She recalled how a child she worked with called numerous times on Mother’s Day asking for support.

“It was an honor to represent her,” Bryant said. “I had such a deep love for her. Being able to love someone in the darkest of times is so rewarding.”

Serving as a safe harbor is a difficult task, Snow said, which is one reason Coconino County always needs more CASA volunteers.

“We are always trying to find ways to keep CASAs alive because this is really hard work. These CASAs come from different backgrounds. sometimes,” Snow said. “That’s why I think 30% of our kids have her CASA. 100% happy. I don’t think we’ve ever gotten there.”

Franklin could be another candidate for CASA support. A burly English Labrador can be a comforting presence for children on court day, and a sanctuary for adult volunteers.

On a practical level, being a CASA is mandatory. In addition to training and emotional work, CASAs volunteer about 10-12 hours a month to spend time with their assigned children and work on cases.

In many cases, CASA wants to spend more time with the children they help, and that is encouraged, she added.

About 30% of children with CASAs in Coconino County are placed in foster homes or group homes in Phoenix. The reason, Snow said, is because Flagstaff doesn’t have enough foster parents.

“That’s one thing. Coconino County doesn’t have the opportunity to drive, especially for older children, so we need volunteers who are willing to drive. , many of them are based in Phoenix and still need that support.They still need someone to push them, but those people need to be happy to drive,” Bryant said. said Mr.

Snow said minorities make up the majority in the foster care system. In Coconino County he says most of the children who need CASA are members of the tribal state.

Bryant said the organization is actively seeking to recruit more Native American CASAs in hopes that children will have the opportunity to connect with adults who better understand their experiences.

“One of our goals as an organization is to have a more diverse volunteer base. It’s about making sure people are represented and being able to represent people within the system and CASA,” Bryant said. “[These] Children need someone to push their backs. It would be even better if the person was like them, knew what it was like, and had similar experiences in the world. Even when that is not possible, children with CASA are much more likely to be placed in a permanent home and are much more likely to do well in school. They are half as likely as other children to return to foster care. ”

Coconino County has no data on the number of LGBTQ+ youth because they are not required to identify themselves.

Bryant said data shows that LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to move from house to house where tracking takes place.

“I think LGBTQ+ people don’t always feel like there is a safe place for them. If you want to volunteer and you care about children, we have the right person for you.”

She acknowledged that courts and the judicial system in general can be viewed as hostile or unsafe by some people. But Coconino County Juvenile Court is working hard to provide information about trauma and hopes it will be a place where people are welcomed, protected and can find their way to success, she said. rice field.